Recording device for telephone transmitters



P. KAELIN RECORDING DEVICE FOR TELEPHONE TRANSMITTERS Sept. 12, 1950 '5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 16, 1949 v [)7 1/617 7'vr P/Zrre Kat/07 Sept. 12, 1950 P. KAELIN RECORDING DEVICE FOR TELEPHONE TRANSMITTERS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 16, 1949 Sept. 12, 1950 P. KAELIN RECORDING DEVICE FOR TELEPHONE TRANSMITTERS Filed April 16; 1949 :5 Sheets-Sheet s Patented Sept. 12, 1950 UNITED STATES PTET OFFICE RECORDING DEVICE FOR TELEPHONE TRANSMITTER?) Pierre Kaelin, Lausanne, Switzerland 8 Claims.

The invention relates to a recording device for telephone transmitters for recording code signs or the like, and in particular to a recording device to be used in connection with telephone installations for recording call signs or numbers. For 5 example the recording device in accordance with the present invention is applicable to the telephone installation disclosed and claimed in my copending application (corresponding to Swiss application No. 35,575).

An object of the invention is to provide such a recording. device on which a code sign may be registered by means of a manually operable keyboard, dialing disc or the like, after which registration the recorded sign may be put through to the installation to which the device is connected at any desired moment.

According to the invention, there are provided several rows of movable cams on a frame, which cam can be moved from a rest position to an operating position by means of a manually controlled keyboard, dialing disc or the like, in accordance with the code sign to be recorded, whereafter said frame may be moved with respect to a number of contact means which are thereby successively contacted by those of the cams that have been moved to the operating position.

Other objects and novel features of the inven tion will be apparent in the course of the following disclosure and claims in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which illustrates by way of example an embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of a recording device according to the invention.

Fig. 2 is an axial section of the device of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3' is a schematical elevation view showing a detail, and

Fig. 4 is a sectional view along line IV-IV of Fig. 3 showing a part of this detail.

The main body of the recording device is formed by a cylindrical frame I, mounted on a rotatable shaft 55 and provided on its surface with a number of evenly disposed longitudinal grooves 2 extending along generatrices of the cylinder. In each of these grooves there are arranged a number of movable elements formed by cams 3 pivotally mounted by means of pins 4- which pins are perpendicular to and have their hearings in the side walls of the grooves. The cams all have the same form and are provided with four projections, that is two bosses 31), 3d,

a heel 3a., and a nose-like projection 30 lying between the heel 3c and the boss 3d.

The cams are thus distributed on the cylinder in several groups, each group being constituted by the cams in one and the same groove and the cams in the several grooves being like in number and similarly distributed. Only two of these cams are shown in Figure l and four in Figure 2.

For the recording of telephone signals, consisting of numbers for example, each digit of the number is recorded in a different group of cams, each group including as many cams as there are digits possible, namely ten. The number of the groups depends on the length of the numbers to be recorded or on the number of signs to be recorded simultaneously. In the example shown, the cylinder is provided with eighteen grooves thus permitting the recording of a code sign with eighteen digits which is an improbable case or of two signs of nine digits each, or else of three signs of six digits each, etc.

The cams are subjected to the action of wire springs 5 wound around the pins 4 and resting with their ends on the one hand on the bosses 3d and on the other hand on the bottoms of the grooves 2. These springs tend to maintain the cams in their rest position, in which the heel 3a rests on the bottom of the groove as shown by the position of cam 3 in Figure 2.

The cams may also occupy an operating position in which the boss lid is turned further outwardly from the groove, and the heel 3a is turned away from the bottom of the groove as shown by the position of cam 3 in Figure 2. In this position the cams are held by detent means cooperating with the nose 3c of the cams.

These detent means comprise a number of small flat bars 9 slidably mounted in the grooves 2 and provided with a number of perpendicularly projecting check pawls 8. Each groove is provided with such a bar a carrying the pawls for all the cams of the group, these pawls lying against the bridges of the noses 3c in the rest position of the cams. On one end these bars 9 are articulated onto levers 2t pivotally mounted and radially arranged on one of the bases of the cylinder. These levers 20 are subjected to the action of springs H9 in such a way that they tend to move the bars 9 in a direction contrary to the arrow l8 and thus keep the pawls 8 in contact with the cams 3. The noses 3c of the cams are so formed that when a cam is turned from its rest position to its operating position its nose first pushes the contacting pawl 8 and thereby the bar 9 in the direction of the arrow l8 against the action of the spring it until the pawl falls behind the nose, thereby bolting the cam in its operating position.

On the other end the bars 9 are articulated onto levers Illa, lllb, pivoted at H and radially arranged on the base of the cylinder opposite from the levers 20. A ring M is axially slidably mounted on the shaft E5 of the cylinder l in such a way that its face may contact the inner ends of the levers Illb. Likewise, a ring i3 is axially slidably mounted on the ring 14 with its face opposite the ends of the levers Illa. As shown in Figure 2, the levers llla are shorter than the levers lllb and the levers lllb have a recess opposite the ring l3, so that the ring It cannot act on the levers Illa nor the ring IS on the levers Mb. The rings are provided with circular grooves H6 in which forks (not shown) may be fitted to effect an axial shifting of the rings. When the rings are moved in the direction of the arrow l1, they push against the inner ends of the levers Illa, lb, which, turning around the pivots ll, shift the bars 9 in the direction of the arrow [8, thus releasing the cams in operating position, which thereupon return to their rest position through the action of the springs 5. One-half of the bars 9 are controlled by the levers I la cooperating with ring I 3, and the other half by the levers lllb cooperating with ring Hi.

For moving the cams 3 from the rest position to their operating position there is provided alongside the cylinder l a row of levers l pivotally mounted at 8' and at one end subjected to the action of relays 6. There are as many relay operated levers 7 as there are cams 3 in a groove, namely ten, each lever being so situated as to cooperate with its free end with the boss 31) of a cam 3 in the groove that happens to lie opposite the row of levers. The relays 6 are independently controlled by means of a keyboard 22 with ten keys, one key for each relay, in such a way that on manipulation of one of the keys the corresponding relay is energized, attracting its lever 7, thereby turning it around its pivot 8'. The free end of the lever thereb acts upon the boss 3b of a cam causing this cam to turn against the action of its spring until it reaches the operating position and is held by a pawl 8. Cam 3 of Figure 2 is shown in a position intermediate its rest position and its operating position.

A row of contact members is alined above the cylinder and consists of pairs of contact blades 2! of a number equal to the number of cams 3 in a groove, namely ten. One pair of blades is arranged opposite each cam in such a way that the several blades are actuated by the bosses 3d of the respective cams 3 when the latter have been moved to their operating positions.

The cylinder I may be caused to rotate by means shown in Figs. 3 and 4. Apart from an automatic rotation, it is necessary to provide for a stepwise rotation controlled by the keyboard 22, to the extent of a constant fraction of a turn at each step, said fraction corresponding to the angle enclosed b two grooves.

The rotation of the cylinder I is obtained by connecting it with a motor 23 through gears 24 and 25. The gear 2 3 is secured on the shaft 26 of the motor and the gear 25 is loosely mounted on the shaft l5 of the cylinder. A disc 21 is fixedly secured to this shaft and a disc 28, dependent on rotation with this shaft is slidably mounted on it. The gear 25 is pressed between the discs 2'! and 28 through the action of a coilspring 29, what constitutes a friction coupling. A ratchet wheel is fixedly secured on the shaft l5. This wheel cooperates with an anchor 3| oscillating on a pin 32, the displacements of which are obtained through a relay 33 submitted to the control of the keyboard 22, and through a relay 3 4 actuated by means not shown. The rela 33 actuates a lever 35 intended to lift the anchor 3| in an upper position what permits, by the repeated working of this relay, the stepwise rotation of the cylinder l. The rela 34 actuates a lever 36 intended to lift the anchor 3! in a middle osition in which the anchor is not cooperating with the ratchet wheel 30 thus permitting a continuous rotation of the cylinder l.

The operation of the device is as follows:

When the device forms part of a telephone set, it may serve to record a telephone call-sign, for instance existing of numbers only. At the start the several cams 3 are in the rest position. The subscriber then presses the ke of keyboard 22 which corresponds to the first digit of this number. The relay 6, which is controlled by this ke is connected and the corresponding lever cooperates with the boss 3b of the cam located opposite this lever and thereby moves the said cam into its operating position, in which position it is maintained by a pawl S. The stepwise advance of the cylinder I being likewise subject to the keys of the keyboard 22, the cylinder advances to the extent of one step, so that the next group of cams is turned opposite the levers l. The subscriber presses on the key which corresponds to the next digit of the sign which he wishes to record, and a corresponding cam of the second group is brought to its operating position. The operation is repeated for all the digits of the sign, which is thus recorded. It will now suffice to return the cylinder to its initial position and thereafter, at the desired moment, to cause it to turn automaticall by means not shown, so that the cams placed in operating position may actuate when passing the contact pairs in a certain sequence, doing so at a fixed cadence, so that the recorded sign is sent over the telephone line coupled to the set.

Several call-signs may be recorded simultaneously by this device. The signals may be of any length, being formed by letters or figures provided that the cylinder includes a suitable number of groups and a sufilcient number of cams in each group.

In order to return all or part of the cams to their rest position it is necessary to set upon one or both rings l3 and M.

It is to be understood that the embodiment shown forms only an example of a possible construction of the recording device according to the present invention and that within the scope of the invention many variations are possible.

The cylinder shown is formed by a hollow body l in which grooves 2 are made. The cylindrical frame could also consist, however, of two base checks of circular shape connected by braces fastened on the periphery of these cheeks, the cams being mounted on these braces, which would constitute the generatrices of the cylinder.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A recording device of the character described, comprising a rotatable frame, a plurality of movable recording members mounted on said frame, said members being disposed in several groups, there being at least as many groups as there are elements in a code sign to be recorded, and there being at least as many movable members in each group as there are possible digits for each element of a code sign, means acting on said members to keep them in a rest position, manually controlled operating means for moving a member of l a group from said rest position to an operating position, means for turning said frame on'each of the successive manipulations of said operating means over such an angle as to-bring the groups of movable members successively under the influence of said operating means, means for returning said frame o its Z ro position after a code sign has been recorded, means for rotating said frame, and a series of contact means placed opposite said frame cooperating with each of said group of movable members respectively as said frame is rotated, in such a way that each movable member of a group, when moved to its operating position, actuates a corresponding contact means oi said series.

2. A recording device of the character des r ed, pris g a ro atably'mounted y drical frame, a plurality of oscillating cams pivotally mounted on said. cylinder and alined in several similar rows arranged parallelly to the axis of said cylinder, there being at least as many ofsaid rows as there are elements in a code sign to be recorded, and there being at least as many cams in a row as there are possible digits for an element in a code sign, spring-means acting on said cams to keep them in a rest position, a row of levermeans for moving said cams from said rest position to an operating position against the action of said spring means, said lever means being arranged in a line parallel to said cylinder,

each of said lever means cooperating with a cam of said rows of cams, automatic means for turning said cylinder upon each manipulation of said levermeans over such an angle as to bring the several rows of cams one by one opposite said row of lever means, thus recording one element ofa code sign in each row of cams successively, a row of contact means arranged in a line parallel tosaid cylinder, each of said contact means cooperating with a cam of said rows of cams, so as to be actuated when said cam has been moved to its operatin position, and means for rotating said cylinder after a code sign has been recorded thereon, so as to bring each row of cams successively opposite said row of contact means.

3. A recording device according to claim 2, in which said lever means for moving said cams from said rest position to said operating position are controlled separately and mechanically by a corresponding number of manually operable keys of a keyboard.

4. A recording device according to claim 2, comprising a number of relays for actuating said lever means, there being one relay for each of said lever means, and a keyboard with a num ber of manually operable keys, each of said keys controlling one of said relays.

5. A recording device of the character described, comprising a rotatably mounted cylinder provided with a number of axially extending parallel grooves evenly distributed over its periphery, a number of similar rows of oscillating cams pivotally mounted in said grooves, said cams being provided with a number of projections, spring means acting on said cams to keep them in a rest position, a number of manually controlled lever means arranged in a line parallel to said cylinder for turning said cams independently from said rest position to an operating position against the action of said spring means and in accordance with the code sign to be recorded, each of said lever means placed opposite a cam of said rows of cams and acting on a projection ofsaid cam, elastic pawl means in each of said grooves cooperating with said cams to keep a cam in its operating position after it has been moved thereto, a number of contact means arranged in a line parallel to said cylinder and actuated by a second projection on the respective cams when in operating position, means for turning said cylinder on each manipulation of said lever means over such .an angle .as to bring the next row of cams opposite said lever means during the recording of a, code sign, and means for rotating said cylinder after a code sign has been recorded so as to bring each row of cams successively opposite said line of contact means.

61A recordin device of the character described, comprising a rotatably mounted cylinder provided with a number of axially extending parallel grooves evenly distributed over its periphery, a number of similar rows of oscillating cams pivotally mounted in said grooves on pins perpendicular to the axis of cylinder, said cams being provided with a, number of projections, a spring acting on each cam'to keep it in a rest position wherein one of said cam projections rests on the bottom of said groove, a number of lever means arranged in a line parallel to said cylinder for moving said cams from said rest position to an operating position, each of said lever means placed opposite a cam of said rows of cams and acting on a second projection of said cam, a bar slidably mounted in each of said grooves, said bar having a number of pawls cooperating vvith a third projection on said cams in'such a Way that a cam of a row is held by a corresponding pawl of said slidable bar gripping behind said second projection on said cam when saidcam is moved to its operating position by the corresponding lever means, spring means for keeping said pawls on said bars in contact with the periphery of said cams, a number of contact means arranged in a line parallel to said cylinder, each of said contact means placed opposite a cam of said rows of cams and actuated by a fourth projection on said cam when in its operating position, automatic means for turning said cylinder on each manipulation of said lever means over such an angle as to bring the next row of cams opposite said lever means during the recording of a code sign, means for returning said cylinder to its zero position after the several elements of a code sign have successively been recorded on the successive rows of cams, means for rotating said cylinder so as to bring each row of cams successively opposite said line of contact means, and means for movin said bars to bring the cams involved out of contact with said pawls, permitting said cams to return to their rest position.

7. A recording device of the character described, comprising a rotatably mounted cylinder provided with a number of axially extending parallel grooves evenly distributed over its periphery, a number of similar rows of cams pivotally mounted in said grooves on pins perpendicular to the axis of said cylinder, said cams being capable of occupying a rest position and an operating position and being provided with a number of projections, a spring acting on each cam to keep it in said rest position wherein one of said cam projections rests on the bottom of said groove, a number of lever means arranged in a line parallel to said cylinder for moving said cams from said rest position to said operating position, each of'said lever means placed opposite a cam of said rows of cams and acting on a second projection of said cam, a bar slidably mounted in each of said grooves, said bar having a number of pawls cooperatin with a third projection on said cams in such a way'that a cam of a row is held by a corresponding pawl of said slidable bar gripping behind said second projection on said cam when said cam is moved to its operating position by the corresponding lever means, a number of levers radially arranged on at least one of the bases of said cylinder and pivotally mounted thereon, said levers at their outer end being articulated to said slidable bars, spring means for acting on said radially arranged levers in such a Way as to keep the pawls on said bars pressed against said cams, axially movable control means cooperating with the inner ends of said radially arranged levers for moving said levers against the action of said last mentioned spring means to bring the pawls on said bars out of contact with said respective cams, a number of contact means arranged in a line parallel to said cylinder, each of said contact means placed opposite a cam of said rows of cams and actuated by a fourth projection on said cam when in its operating position, automatic means for turning said cylinder on each manipulation of said lever means over such an angle as to bring the next row of cams opposite said lever means during the recording of a code sign, means for returning said cylinder to its zero position after the several elements of a code sign have successively been recorded on the successive rows of cams, means for rotating said cylinder 50 as to bring each row of cams successively opposite said line of contact means.

8. The combination of a telephone set with a recording device for recording call-signs to be put 8 through over the line at a desired moment, said recording device comprising a rotatable frame, a, plurality of movable recording members mounted on said frame; said members being distributed in severel groups, there bein at least as many groups as there are elements in a code sign to be recorded, and there being at least as many movable members in each group as there are possible digits for each element of a'code sign, means acting on said members for keeping them in a rest position manually controlled operating means for moving a member of a group from said rest position to an operating position, means for turning said frame on each of the successive manipulations of said operating means over such an angle as to bring the groups of-movable members successively under the influence of said operating means, means for'returning said frame to its zero position after a code sign has been recorded, means for rotating said frame, and a series of contact means placed opposite said frame cooperating with each of said group of movable members respectively as said frame is rotated, in such a way that each movable member of a group, when moved to its operating position, actuates a corresponding contact means of said series, said contact means being coupled to the telephone set.

PIERRE KAELIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

